PHOENIX -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's staff worked with proponents of a bill
that would have allowed businesses to refuse service to gays before the
legislation was introduced in January, according to emails released by her
office.

The meetings between Brewer's legal counsel and policy director came as the
Center for Arizona Policy tried to make changes to a bill that was vetoed last
year to make it more palatable to the governor. As Senate Bill 1062 made its way
through the Legislature last month, it drew fierce opposition from Democrats,
gays, civil rights activists and later the business community.

Brewer vetoed the legislation Feb. 26. In a brief statement, she said the
bill "could divide Arizona in ways we could not even imagine and no one would
ever want." She also said the bill was broadly worded and could result in
unintended negative consequences.

Brewer's veto came after companies, including Apple Inc. and American Airlines,
and even national Republicans including Sen. John McCain urged her to veto the
bill, saying it would hurt the state and could alienate businesses looking to
expand there.

Emails released by the governor's office showed her staff met with
representatives of the Center for Arizona Policy. Brewer spokesman Andrew Wilder
said such talks are routine and never come with a promise the governor will
support the final product.

Her staff was most concerned about a provision in last year's legislation that
allowed someone to sue before their religious rights were affected and for a
"likely" burden on those rights. That provision was removed this year.

Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod blamed the bill's fate on
opponents who misrepresented what it does.

"I believe the veto was politics at its worst," Herrod said Monday, "The veto
was of a bill that did not exist and the 1062 opponents were able to make the
bill about something it was not."

She acknowledged she worked with Brewer's staff on the bill.

"The governor's officer raised several questions about the language, we had
thorough discussions about the language and changes were made to the language
based on those discussions," she said.

The bill would have shielded businesses whose owners cite sincerely held
religious beliefs from being sued for denying service to gays. It would have
allowed any business, church or person to cite the law as a defense in any
action brought by the government or individual claiming discrimination.

Opponents called it a license to discriminate against gays or any other group
that might draw a religious objection.

Herrod's group and supporters in the Legislature said the bill was a
clarification of the state's existing religious freedom law and would not open
the door to discrimination. They argued the law was needed to protect against
increasingly activist federal courts.

Herrod's group wields great power among Republicans who control the Arizona
Legislature. The social conservative group backs conservative Christian
legislation and is opposed to gay marriage and abortion.